My New Best Friend – A Hammer
 

For those of who you offered suggestions and links to my Lumpy Pattern problem, I thank you. I learned a lot. Some of the advice applied to this quilt, some I’ll definitely use on future quilts and a lot I wished I had used on previous quilts. All was very much appreciated.

I ended up ironing the seams open and it helped to a degree but the unavoidable fact was that I had 8 seams with 16 pieces of fabric all converging to one point and there is going to be bulk.

So, as the dogs were sleeping and the house was quiet, a little voice whispered to me “Follow rryder’s (Rob) advice.” And I did: I calmly made my way to the garage, found a hammer and pounded the living day lights out of the center point. And it worked like a million bucks! It was difficult to do since I tend to bond with my fabric and quilt but after a good walloping on the first center and seeing the results, I had no problems beating the rest.

Whatever old tailor came up with that trick is worth his weight in gold.

The fibers may unflatten. If you grade the seams at the ends that will be meeting in the middle and press the seams open you won't have any bulk. I learned this when sewing clothing. It works for sewing quilts too.

Fruit, does grading mean cutting off the seam allowance close to the stitching? If that's it, that makes me nervous.

Grading means to cut one seam slightly narrower than the other. Not close to the seam but just a couple threads from the other piece.

That's hilarious!!! But a great idea :)

I've used a rubber mallet for this, now a permanent tool in my quilt room. I do put a piece of batting under and on top of the spot I wish to flatten.

I cut both seams coming toward the end. When you sew the units together you still have a 1/4" seam in the center. Nothing to get nervous about.

I've used Rob's advice before with the hammer. Works like a charm! But when I have a bunch of seams converging and swirling doesn't quite work, I go to my Singer 99. That is a work horse and I only have to do a few stitches over the seam and can blend the quilting lines to my satisfaction.

Too funny but glad it worked.

A wooden clapper works too. Made for sewing clothing, but works for quilting.